Taxation & Operating Costs for the Caribbean Hotel Sector A preliminary comparative study and recommendations relating to tax levels, incentive structures, and costs affecting tourism enterprises in CARIFORUM countries November 2006 prepared for the Caribbean Hotel Association by PA Consulting Group with the support of the European Union 2 FOREWORD This report, Taxation and Tourism Costs for the Caribbean Hotel Sector, was prepared by PA Consulting Group under the Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Development Programme (CRSTDP), as part of technical assistance provided to the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA). The overall objective of the Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Development Programme (CRSTDP) is to contribute to economic growth and poverty alleviation among CARIFORUM countries through increased competitiveness and sustainability of the Caribbean tourism sector. The Programme is funded under the 8th European Development Fund (EDF) and coordinated by the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM). The beneficiaries of the programme are the fifteen (15) CARIFORUM member states: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago. PA consultant, Mr. Cuthbert Didier served as the principal consultant and was the principal author of this report. Some updating, and redrafting of the final version has been undertaken by the Caribbean Hotel Association. The terms of reference for the assignment to analyse the effects of taxation and operating costs on the Caribbean hotel sector, required the consultant to undertake the following: • Produce a data matrix of operating costs and taxation levels on selected small tourism enterprises. • Compare taxation levels and incentive structures for tourism enterprises to enterprises in other productive sectors or sub-sectors in Caribbean economies • Compare taxation levels and incentive structures for tourism enterprises in other tourism driven destinations, such as Hawaii and the Canary Islands. • Report on findings and make recommendations for fostering conditions for profitability, investor confidence and sustainability. The report is based on primary and secondary data collected during the time of implementation of the component and the findings reflect current information as of the date of this report. Taxation & Operating Costs for the Caribbean Hotel Sector 3 LIST OF ACRONYMS AI All Inclusive CHA Caribbean Hotel Association CARICOM Caribbean Community CAST Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism CET CARICOM External Tariff C.I.F Cost, Insurance and Freight CRSTDP Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Development Programme CTPU CARIFORUM Tourism Programme Unit EDF European Development Fund EP European Plan HAT Hotel Accommodation Tax SMME Small Medium and Micro Enterprises UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development WTO World Tourism Organisation WTTC World Travel and Tourism Council Taxation & Operating Costs for the Caribbean Hotel Sector 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 2. INTRODUCTION 8 2.1 Overview of the Caribbean Hotel Sector 8 2.2 Data on Selected CARIFORUM Countries 9 2.2.1 Barbados 10 2.2.2 Jamaica 11 2.2.3 St. Lucia 12 2.2.4 Dominican Republic 12 3. METHODOLOGY 13 4. KEY DEFINITIONS 14 4.1 Competitiveness 14 4.2 Operating Costs 14 4.3 Profit 15 5. OPERATING COSTS 16 5.1 Significance of Operating Costs 16 5.2 Operating Costs Results 18 5.3 Operating Costs in Selected Countries 19 5.3.1 Barbados 19 5.3.2 Jamaica 20 5.3.3 St. Lucia 20 5.3.4 Dominican Republic 21 5.4 Additional Observations 22 6. GENERAL EXAMINATION OF TAXES 23 6.1 Hotel Accommodation Tax 24 6.2 Departure tax 25 6.3 Casino tax 25 6.4 Entertainment Tax 25 6.5 Property Taxes 26 6.6 Value Added Tax 27 6.7 Corporate Tax 27 6.8 Import Duties, Other Related Trade Taxes and Non Tariff Barriers 28 6.8.1 Customs Service charges 32 6.8.2 Consumption Taxes 32 6.8.3 Stamp duties 32 6.8.4 Environmental levies 32 6.8.5 Non-Tariff Barriers 33 6.9 Conclusions 33 7. COMPARISON OF TAXATION IN OTHER SECTORS 34 7.1 Agriculture 34 7.2 Manufacturing 34 7.3 Hotel Sector 34 7.4 Comparison of taxation to other sectors 35 7.5 Conclusion 36 Taxation & Operating Costs for the Caribbean Hotel Sector 5 8. HUMAN RESOURCES 38 8.1 Apprenticeship Programmes: 39 8.2 Graduate Deductions 39 8.3 Training Funds 39 8.4 Youth Programmes 39 8.5 Work Permits 39 8.6 Financing of Skill Development 39 9. TOURISM INVESTMENT INCENTIVES IN SELECTED COUNTRIES 42 9.1 Barbados 42 9.2 Dominican Republic 43 9.3 Jamaica 44 9.4 St. Lucia 44 9.5 Antigua and Barbuda 45 9.6 Bahamas 45 9.7 Belize 46 9.8 Dominica 47 9.9 Grenada 47 9.10 Guyana 48 9.11 St. Kitts and Nevis 48 9.12 Suriname 49 9.13 Trinidad and Tobago 49 9.14 Conclusion 50 10. COMPARISON OF THE CARIBBEAN WITH SELECTED ISLAND TOURISM DESTINATIONS 51 10.1 Hawaii 51 10.2 The Canary Islands 52 10.3 Conclusions 54 11. OVERALL FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 55 Overall Findings and Recommendations 56 APPENDIX A: SUMMARY TABLE OF TOURISM INVESTMENT INCENTIVES IN SELECTED COUNTRIES 58 APPENDIX B: BILOGRAPHY 65 On-Line Sources 65 Taxation & Operating Costs for the Caribbean Hotel Sector 6 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study is aimed at measuring and monitoring the competitiveness of the Caribbean tourism sector with a primary focus on hotels, through a review of operating costs, taxation levels and other non-cost barriers that impact on the sector. The results of the study were hindered by a lack of willingness by hoteliers in the region to share data and by the short six-month time frame allocated for the completion of the component. Hence, one of the main recommendations of this study is the need for the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) to sensitize its members on the importance of sharing data, as real time and accurate data is key for CHA and all its various partners and stakeholders (including National Hotel Associations) to understand and dialog on critical issues that are impacting on the potential growth of the sector. Data collection needs to be a constant process and should not be limited to a single intervention. Therefore CHA should consider strengthening its research function to collect this data on a regular basis as part of the membership process. Before examining the operating costs and the taxation regimes for the hotel sector in the CARIFORUM states in detail, some significant economic factors must be highlighted. The economies of the CARIFORUM countries selected for in-depth examination under this study reveal some common characteristics that are critical to this study, namely: (a) The importance of tourism is clearly evident in all the economies; (b) Tourism is important because of the foreign exchange it generates, the employment created and the overall linkages that tourism creates within these economies; and (c) No other sector in these economies generates as much foreign currency earnings. Most CARIFORUM countries, with the exception of Jamaica and the Dominican Republic have small populations. Consequently, the small national market, high input and transportation costs associated with being an island, often make it difficult to develop a significant industrial sector. The small economic bases of these countries are crucial when considering that reduction of unemployment has to be a primary goal for most governments. This unemployment situation in the CARIFORUM countries increases the potential significance of tourism compared to other sectors that are not visible on a large scale. There is a great challenge within CARIFORUM for these countries to support the full machinery of government as independent nations. Most governments are burdened with huge expenditures that are becoming increasingly difficult to reduce, with difficult decisions having to be made with respect to fiscal policies to address the situation. To address these challenges most of the governments turn to the leading sectors, and in the CARIFORUM region this is often tourism. The increases in direct and indirect taxation are a clear and present danger to the hotel sector in the CARIFORUM region. The result of this is that a number of activities in the tourism industry are subjected to additional taxes not found in other sectors – the most visible ones being room tax, import tax and departure tax. These taxes must be seen in light of the challenges within the tourism sector. Hotel profitability within the industry is becoming increasingly an issue amidst high construction costs, rising utility costs and high labour costs. While hotel profitability differs by country, in the long run the hotel sector will not be able to sustain the increasing burden of indirect taxation, resulting in this sector becoming less attractive as an investment opportunity. There is still a great reluctance to view tourism as an export industry in public policy planning in most CARIFORUM countries. For most policymakers taxing the hotel sector is attractive because it is perceived that the bulk of the taxation falls on non-locals (the visiting tourists). It is important to note that the cruise ship Taxation & Operating Costs for the Caribbean Hotel Sector 7 industry, which forms the largest segment of water-based tourism in the Caribbean, is not subject to this taxation policy. Hotels even pay large amounts of taxes when purchasing the food and beverage and other dry goods needed to operate the hotel Most CARIFORUM countries have fiscal incentives for the establishment of hotels. The incentives offered include exemption of corporate taxes, reduction or exemption from import duties on equipment, and reduction or exemption of duties on construction materials. However, it should be noted that the reduction in duties applies specifically to the construction phase only.